Escorted by the Taliban
These are pics and stories to Before the Fall, Chapter 2 of Hollie McKay's and my photobook on Afghanistan. Hollie's writing is in the book and this substack is my account and story behind the images.
I couldn't believe we were being escorted by the Taliban. They were what seemed like teenage kids riding on the back of the pick up on what seemed like a joy ride.
It was the probably the first time they had met foreigners before so they were even more excited. They all spoke Pashto or Urdu which made it difficult to communicate with.
Hollie and I rode in the uzbek consulate vehicle with the first secretary and his homie security in their trackies. The young Talibs smiled and took photos of them riding security up to the border.
The young lad with the PK on the turrent mount on the back loved swinging into at our car for fun. He had a gingery smile to him which was extinguished having to drive in the desert and wind.
Sand hit them hard but we got to the Afghan Uzbek border in 30 minutes. Hundreds of abandoned MRAPs and hummers were seen on the road. The Afghan National Army and Dostum's men fled to the border seeking asylum.
They were to remove their uniform and cross over with nothing but their underwear. I only had Afghan clothes with me as all my clothes were in Kabul. I was abandoning also my credit cards, extra camera gear to our home stay in Kabul.
It felt somewhat humiliating but we were getting out. I would just buy stuff I guess once I got there.
We reached Friendship bridge and got out of the vehicle. The Taliban were enjoying the sunset and there was a few businessmen looking to get through.
On the Uzbek side, there was a full garrison of soldiers prepared for the chaos and totally dumb struck that the Taliban had won.
The young Talib took selfies and then asked me to take their portraits. They lapped it up that their was a foreign photographer able to take their portraits of them.
It was well lit but it was striking. These were really just kids. They asked for my whatsapp number and if I could send them their portraits.
This was the end of my adventure. I had escaped the covid lockdown Australia only to escape now Taliban Afghanistan. I didn't really want to go back to Australia. I thought maybe I should adventure around, maybe go to the US.
The Uzbek Army let us cross and escorted us to the border control where we were greeted by a driver. He spoke some Dari so I could talk to him. The Uzbek control guards stamped us into the country. Lucky Australia is visa free for Uzbekistan though they went through all my camera gear and gave me a real good feel up.
Full hands on my balls.
They did apologize but I told them I am leaving Taliban Afghanistan not drug smuggling. Apparently the last foreigner, a French man tried to smuggle a kilo of herion.
We were escorted to the mayor of the border guest manor where their was a interpreter and a banquet of food and booze. Most of all a good hot shower and our own rooms.
We met the mayor who was an avid drinker and told us we would be going to the Tashkent tomorrow and everything was thanks to the US Embassy.